Waterloo : A Near Run Thing (Great Battles)

Rating:
Summary: I dare you not to cry
Review: A detailed, compassionate and very moving account of the battle of Waterloo in 1815. David Howarth based this book on a kaleidoscope of 18 eye-witness accounts which explains its freshness. Who could not be moved by the fate of the newlyweds, Sir William & Lady de Lancey? Or angered by the Prince of Orange for his arrogance and stupidity? And how is it possible not to be fascinated by Lord Uxbridge's gruesome operation to ampute his leg?

It is a book as relevant today as it ever was for the question David Howarth posed in his introduction "what makes a man, who joins an army and puts on a more or less exotic kind of dress, behave on the word of command entirely unlike himself, but like a ferocious animal?"

Rating:
Summary: Hey, Kym-Marie
Review: Do us all a favor and keep your "august" opinions to yourself.

Rating:
Summary: Too close
Review: I have read several accounts of the battle over the years, and have visited the battlefield itself. All have impressed me with a feeling of awe at the bravery of the combatants and a prickly feeling that if Napolean had been in better health, then things would have gone differently. This book brings a firsthand realism to the description of the battle, errors in judgement described shew that even Marshals, Princes and Emperors are all too fallible, but overall there is the impression of the inexorable military might of France grinding away with reckless bravery at a thinly and bravely held Allied line. Luck, bad luck and the Fog of War and choice of position all played a part. Many brave, and perhaps less than brave, men died and their suffering is clearly described in this book, but overall my impression remains that it was too close for comfort.

Rating:
Summary: Too close
Review: I have read several accounts of the battle over the years, and have visited the battlefield itself. All have impressed me with a feeling of awe at the bravery of the combatants and a prickly feeling that if Napolean had been in better health, then things would have gone differently. This book brings a firsthand realism to the description of the battle, errors in judgement described shew that even Marshals, Princes and Emperors are all too fallible, but overall there is the impression of the inexorable military might of France grinding away with reckless bravery at a thinly and bravely held Allied line. Luck, bad luck and the Fog of War and choice of position all played a part. Many brave, and perhaps less than brave, men died and their suffering is clearly described in this book, but overall my impression remains that it was too close for comfort.

Rating:
Summary: A timeless classic that will take you to the battlefield
Review: That this book has been in print for over 30 years will give you some idea as to how powerful it is.

Up until Howarth published this book, most accounts of the battle had been from a technically military viewpoint - that is who was doing what to whom with what and where. Detail for this kind of book was drawn from various diaries, accounts, and research conducted by Siborne some 20 years after the battle itself. However these books never dwelt on the experience of battle from a personal standpoint, they tended to be emotionally remote.

Howarth really tipped the formula on its head by putting a framework of the battle and filling it out with the personal accounts.

To do this he has divided his sections simply to follow the course of the day. There is an introduction which describes the men from whom he is drawing material and a sketch of events leading up to Waterloo itself, then it is followed by six sections - Dawn, Morning, Noon, afternoon, evening, and night.

He selected a broad range of men to follow including British Ensign William Leeke, a naive young officer and newly joined, sergeants William Wheeler and William Lawrence, Pierre Robineaux, a French Captain, and Captain Mercer an artillery officer. Howarth can take us around the battlefield as fighting shifts and rages to show us what each man experienced, the fear, pain, hunger, thirst, and other hardships.

Given that Waterloo was one single day in history it might seem a little much that so much has been written about it. Yet it was the bloodiest engagement that had been witnessed by anyone to date - thousands of men and horses dying in a single afternoon of violent battle. It was also pivotal for it was not only the last battle for Napoleon, but the first time that Wellington had actually come up against Napoleon. Two masters of warfare finally matched in combat.

Grand themes are all very well, but we don't want to forget the small stories which tell us of the personal experience of those that were there. If you like this book you should also try John Kincaids, Adventures in the Rifle Brigade (one of Howarth's sources as well) - and Harry Smith's Autobiography - both of which have been reprinted and are on sale at Amazon.

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Summary: A good Waterloo book for the casual reader.
Review: The Battle of Waterloo has been very heavily worked by both historians and writers of fiction over the years. In "Waterloo-A Near Run Thing", David Howarth offers the average reader a fascinating account of that decisive battle at a very human level,and without an overload of technical jargon or scholarly controversy. Working from the perspective of information available as the battle unfolded, Howarth weaves together commentary from persons who were present at the battle with just enough narrative to keep the story moving along. He provides enough details on tactics, equipment, and personalities to make the narrative understandable. The result is a book that puts a human face on a now long-distant event without adding another layer of mythology. Howarth's diagrams and illustrations of the battle are well-chosen to support the narrative. Although this book presents no new or dramatic information about the Battle of Waterloo, Howarth's solid prose and imaginative organization will also make it a pleasant read for the serious student of the Napoleonic Wars. The paperback edition is a perfect size for a long trip or vacation.

Rating:
Summary: Like being there
Review: This book recreates the Battle of Waterloo by using first hand accounts from the men that actualy fought there. The result is a powerful book with much atmosphere and feel that it is almost like being there on the battlefield. Howarth mixes the strategy of the battle with the more personal recollections to a superb blend. This is an excellent book and a good alternative to the usual pure strategic and tactical view taken of the battle by many historians/authors. There is also excellent illustrations throughout. ( This review refers to a 1968 hardcover edition)